News

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  Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from everyone at GSA!

  2024 has been another busy year, with several projects reaching key milestones. Our work has taken us far and wide – with sites as far as Truro, Bristol, Ipswich and the West Midlands, plus closer to home in London, Essex, Hampshire, Herts, Surrey and Kent. We thank all who we have worked with, and their contributions to another successful year.

  Our office closes on 24th December 2024, re-opening on January 2nd 2025. We are looking forward to continuing to work on both the current and new, exciting opportunities that 2025 will bring.

  December 2024

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  Final Panels placed at H&F Retrofit

  We're really pleased to see our social housing retrofit for Hammersmith and Fulham Council passing a key milestone, with the final Melius Homes Energiesprong pre-fab, insulated panels being smoothly craned into place today.

  We were able to showcase this latest GLA Energiesprong retrofit scheme to the SHDF team of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on site. Really well done to the Equans site team and a lot of up-front design collaboration between GSA and Melius designers to make this all possible.

  November 2024

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  Planning Permission for Keswick Avenue

  We are pleased to have been awarded planning permission for 6 new homes in Hornchurch, on behalf of our client Mercury Land Holdings. Development of this underused site will provide high quality and much needed family houses in the heart of Hornchurch, close to the town centre amenities.

  The design of each house is a sympathetic yet contemporary response to the local character and will create an attractive addition to the area on this prominent corner site.

  November 2024

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  Westerfield Planning Approval

  Our scheme for Bellway (Essex) in Westerfield, Ipswich has been unanimously approved at planning committee. Our RM application comprises 198 dwellings of mixed type and tenure, and forms the first residential phase of the Fonnereau Garden Suburb neighbourhood, providing much needed new homes, a primary school, district centre and community centre.

  The design, siting and layout of dwellings within the residential parcels has been informed with regard to key design criteria outlined in the approved Design Codes. The new homes have a traditional feel using standard house types - but with a more contemporary language and bespoke apartment blocks close to the new District Centre.

  September 2024

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  Planning Success at North West Kent College

  Our scheme at North West Kent College in Dartford for Bellway Homes has been unanimously approved at planning committee. The proposals see a number of dilapidated buildings in the grounds of the College demolished and 2 derelict buildings converted. In total there will be a mixture of 93 converted and new homes, within a generous landscaped space.

  The proposals include the renovation of the now derelict Kingsfield House, once owned by Martina Bergman-Österberg, a pioneer of Physical Education for Women. Our designs will transform this into the heart of the new community. We are proud to have been part of this exciting scheme, providing much needed housing and helping the College to prosper.

  July 2024

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  Unanimous Approval in Henham, Essex

  Our scheme in Henham, Essex for Bellway North London has received a unanimous vote in favour of granting a resolution to grant planning approval by Uttesford planning committee. Our bespoke scheme will deliver 45 new homes on this village edge location, previously in the green belt.

  The new homes, which are inspired by the local Essex vernacular, create an attractive new first impression of Henham that responds to the rural character of the village. Bellway plan to commence work on site within the next couple of months and hope to have their first residents moving in just in time for Christmas 2025!

  July 2024

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  Exploring London - Summer Trip 2024

  The sun arrived in time for our annual Staff summer trip. This year we had a visit close to home, visiting the new facilities and residential buildings at Battersea Power Station and then taking a boat down the Thames to Greenwich.

  It was fascinating to see how the Grade II* power station has been converted to its new uses, and we all enjoyed the view from the top of the famous chimneys in Lift 109. At Greenwich, it was time to test our problem solving skills with a scavenger hunt, finishing the day with dinner, overlooking the Thames. A great day was had by all.

  June 2024

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  A Visit to Mindenhurst

  We recently visited our completed scheme for Parcel 2B at Mindenhurst, Deepcut. We worked with CALA Homes to deliver 215 new homes, as part of the redevelopment of Princess Royal Barracks. This is a landscape led layout, incorporating existing mature trees into the open space, and provides a setting that is appropriate to the woodland character.

  We’re really pleased with the spaces created, and the quality and variety of the homes on offer for new residents. The majority of the landscaping is now well established, with open spaces contributing well to the strong framework of green infrastructure that runs throughout the masterplan.

  June 2024

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  A Visit to Arborfield Green

  Some of the masterplanning team took the opportunity to visit our recent schemes at Arborfield Green, Wokingham. Over the years, we have designed over 300 new homes as part of the wider masterplan, delivered over three phases, with many homes enjoying views over the Lake, and the green corridors that permeate the site.

  It was fantastic to visit our projects at Watermans View, Watermans Reach, and Watermans Gate. These parcels are now occupied (including an excellent café at the entrance from the west), and the street trees, SuDS corridors and soft landscaping have matured. We look forward to applying ‘lessons learned’ to our future masterplanning projects.

  May 2024